2021 Kwando Safari - Going again - Hopefully this will "scratch the itch" for good (haha)

July 7

Well.......didn't 2020 stink!! The last travel anywhere for us, had been to Bots in late 2019, so when the world started to open up, we started fantasizing of airplanes again. BF's Mama (in her 80's) wanted to "go home". (She has lived in Canada for 50 years - over half her life - but England is still home to her) England finally took Canada off the "red list", and it was good to go! We decided we'd all fly together, so that we could help with PCR's, and "passenger locator forms", and testing once there and reporting results, etc. We went on to have a Scottish road trip (wow), but then also helped her to know what to do to come home, as she was staying for 6 weeks with her brothers and sisters, and we were only there for 10 days. Once we had that difficult travel under our belt - and it was quite complicated - I thought......I'm going back to Botswana. The world was wide open again.

BF said he never needed to see another lion. I knew Kwando didn't charge single supplements in the low season. And business class fares were absolutely slashed - not much more than the economy fares we had paid the first time. While in Heathrow airport waiting to board to come home, I had an itinerary planned, and fab airfare purchased. Late November to early December. What could go wrong??

Calgary-Ams-Joberg. Overnight at Intercontinental. (sil texts me....."Hey, some new variant has been discovered.). Jberg-Maun.

(2)nts Lagoon

(2)nts Lebala

(3)nts PomPom

(4)nts Kwara

Once landing at the Maun airport, I sense chaos. A German couple asks me, "why are you still arriving?? the variant is here!!" This is my last spot of wi-fi for a while.

Lagoon Camp - was not on the previous itinerary - but I was SO excited to see it. I am joining a couple from Southern England - he a serious photographer - her an absolute laugh and a half. They are cutting their trip short. This was day 11 of a 13 day itinerary, so not heartbreaking. I get 2 wonderful game drives with them. We see wild dogs getting ready for their evening hunt - what a treat! Yipping, and jumping, and prodding each other on........ and they're off!! (and gone. we simply couldn't follow them).

Back at camp, I wasn't sure quite how to approach a full camp, being I was solo. So I "set up shop" behind the bar, and mixed drinks and grabbed beers for everyone, introducing myself as I did. (this turned out to be a strategy I would repeat)

Edited July 7 by Scooter

July 7

The next morning, raring to go..........we spot lions. This particular spot, kind of reminds me of a fairway on a golf course. Trees surround a long thin stretch of openness. Sub-adults they all are, and we wonder where the rest of the pride is, or if they have splintered? Off in the distance, some unsuspecting warthogs show up.

July 7

Well, it turns out, that another lioness was resting in a bit of shade. She chased. They ran. Right past the other lions. If a lioness could look angry, she did. It was a great bit of fun for us to see - but she was not impressed with her siblings.

Then, around the corner, a herd of elephants. I first notice a tuskless female, and am asking the guide all about this, when, out from the protection of the Mama, comes this wee, wee one!! Wow. I have never seen such a young one. It was SO wobbly on its little legs, and had dried blood on its little ears. I was amazed at how tolerant the group was to our presence - we weren't that close - I was at the top of my zoom range - but the mama still seemed extraordinarily calm.

Until she wasn't

We leave them in peace, and head to the airstrip to drop my jeepmates. To my surprise, the big group of photographers are also leaving early. Heading back to camp, and right around the corner, we stop to watch a herd have a wonderful frolick in the water. One little guy had only half of a trunk. Life will be tough, I think. But for now, having as much fun as any of them.

I am the only one in camp for brunch. (perhaps I should check on things at home?) Nah.

I am to have a companion for the rest of my stay - another solo gal from Canada

July 7

Afternoon game drive starts a bit late, as my new jeep-mate needed some extra time to get settled. We make the decision to go quite a distance to see "the cheetah brothers" who were seen in the morning by Lebala guides. Let's rock and roll!!

Full bellies, yawning, stretching, rolling. Love it!! We are quite a bit closer tho than is good for my camera, as I could not get both cats in the same frame. Our guide assures me, he is only this close for my jeepmate to get her photos (she has an iphone), and then he will back up for me to get some wider shots as well.

Agh!!!! She screams. Something bit her little toe. Her iphone (as if in slow motion), flies up in the air.......and lands 5' away from our cheetahs. I turn to see if I can assist. The guides have the first aid kit out. She is turtled in the second row. Was it a snake? They need to know! She is whispering to me now. (I think it was just a bug bite - but I am afraid of insects. Tell them I am good). (What about my phone?)

Well........how ARE we going to get that?? There isn't enough room between the cheetahs and the phone for our truck to fit, because we were so close to begin with. So we wait. Are they going to move? Eventually one brother does.......we start the truck, and slowly move forward, and the second one does too. We are able to grab the phone - without running over it. She is so shaken. Just wants to go back. It is a long way after all......yes, let's go back. Hey, on the way, let's check on those lions we saw in the morning!! They were left hungry, and perhaps they will be ready to hunt. Let's rock and roll!

Putter....sputter......stall......sputter.......dead. We are out of gas I say. No!! the guide shows me we have a second tank that is full. The trouble is.....the vehicle isn't accessing that second full tank of gas, so we are "effectively" out of gas. Hey! This looks terribly familiar........ yes. It is exactly where we left the hungry lions this am. Right in the middle of "the fairway". We radio for someone to come out with some gas to fill the primary tank. In the meantime, I guess this is where we are having sundowners.

Me: Ummm.........Nope, no thanks. No "comfort stop" here. I remember exactly where we left those lions this morning. I am scanning the tree lines with my binoculars. After one G&T, it is getting quite dark. Still no help. 2nd G&T. Now cannot see even with low-light binos. I choose to finish the drink inside the vehicle. My guide assures me, that even if the lions are around, that I am not on the menu. Still......I have a feeling of foreboding that I cannot shake. (and I tell them so) My jeepmate is on her 3rd glass of wine, and twirling. It is just me sitting inside the vehicle - everyone else teasing me that I am paranoid. I see a lone wildebeest, and ask about why the males travel solo instead of in the herd.

Here come our heroes with the gas can!!! (Not sure what took so long, but at least they are here). After waiting well over an hour, it is now pitch black, so we are setting out with the spotlight right from sundowners.

We don't drive 10 feet before the tracker says TAU TAU TAU!! (and jumps in the truck). Less than 75' in front of us is a lioness stalking that wildebeest.

Dinner is uncomfortably quiet. I retire early to get packed and organized for the next day's game drive transfer to my next camp, Lebala. In hindsight, 2 days at a camp just isn't enough time. My thought process at the time of planning, was that I was spending 4 nights in the whole Kwando concession, but doing 2 + 2 was too harried, and especially given having this one dreadful game drive.

I lay in bed, and start to worry about the world shutting down. I seem to remember reading that there might be faint cell signal from Namibia at Lagoon Camp. So, I turn on my roaming data. Everyone is very glad to hear from me, and BF certainly wants me home. But I have to go to quarantine hotel now if I go home. So I opt to just carry on with my safari, and hope more is figured out about this new variant in the next week or so. I give him my credit card numbers, and connect him with ExpertAfrica. I am including this tid-bit of information here........to warn folks. Make sure your mobile provider includes Namibia in their roaming packages if you ever choose to do this. Normally, for travel in the UK, or in the US, or Central America, I have to pay $13/day to access roaming. I went home to an $800 bill.

July 7

The next morning, my jeepmate comes to say goodbye to me in her pyjamas. She is shaken enough, that she is opting out of the morning activity, and she will see how she feels for the afternoon.

The transfer doesn't feel like a game drive, it truly feels like a vehicle transfer. We do stop for this eagle though.

We meet up with my new guide, Wago, and tracker MP, and new jeepmates just outside of their sighting of lions. And what a sighting it was!!! Older, playful, rambunctious cubs. Stalking the truck. (stalking me). And what an absolutely beautiful area it is between the two camps.

You can probably tell what I was striving for here in this shot. But Nooooo, there's always got to be that ONE who doesn't play along.

Edited July 8 by Scooter

July 8

I think I was booked for dec 1, 2021 but couldn’t make it because of omicron ….. emirates had cancelled my flight and India banned travel to Southern Africa also.

July 8

Ah!! We maybe would have overlapped! When I left Lagoon, the Canadian Gal was the last customer until January. They told me they had every single booking cancelled. It was the same for all the camps. I would start each camp with people, and by the end of the stay, was alone. (with a private guide, and in a private concession. I can think of worse things) Let me look back....... Joberg Intercontinental Nov25 Lagoon Nov26&27 Lebala Nov28&29 PomPom Nov30&Dec1&2 Kwara Dec3&4&5&6. News broke about the variant on the afternoon of the 25th (I was still in the air).

Our Prime Minister didn't ban travel TO Southern Africa (thank goodness, or my travel insurance would have been voided), but instead, stopped people coming home FROM Southern Africa. (Cdn border services would not accept PCR tests from anywhere in Southern Africa. I needed to travel to a 3rd country to get a test that they would accept, which proved to be so impossible, that everyone just waited it out) He didn't say come home. (in fact quite the opposite!) He was basically saying "stay away until we know what this is". Fine by me!! But I didn't know all of this until my final camp. It was a brand new, and completely fluid situation. There were new rules and flight cancellations daily. Not really as hard on me (head in the sand without internet and I was in my paradise), but my BF was some stressed out.

Edited July 8 by Scooter

July 8

Lebala Camp. Oh how sweet to see it again! I am in #2, and my jeepmates in #3. I note the differences in 2 years. 2019 was extremely dry - and 2021 had some rain already. There were green shoots of grass, and sprouting leaves. There was also water in the "hippo highway" out front. (which I hadn't even noticed the first time). My fellow safarimates are from Dallas, Texas. I'd call them newlyweds.....but this trip for them had been postponed for 18 months. They were WONDERFUL companions. Super fun, and funny.

Lions. What is it with lions here??!!! My first question of course, was about Sebastian and Old Gunn. Wago says, no. They were pushed out by the Golden Boys. (down Selinda way) Perhaps we might see the the Golden Boys though (haha). But the Wapoka Pride are still here. Stryker is still in charge. No....Scarface has gone. No one knows why precisely, because Covid saw shut downs for extended periods, and without customers, there are no drives, and therefore no sightings for months at a time. Speaking of that.....there are some lion cubs - whose first sight of humans happened the night before (with my jeepmates), and did everyone want to go see them tonight? (yes please)

(newborns!)

(and more newborns)

We are humming along.......when we almost run over a lion. Hiding beside a bush. It's Stryker. Our tracker, is still out on the little seat. But we are far too close to her to even move. We all hold our breath. She has a "snack", and so is completely pre-occupied with that. We stay with her for only a short while. Our Tracker, MP says......get me out of here.....I smell more lions. I smell them. We go, and get him into the truck, and head back. Sure enough, 3 males and Stryker all have a warthog piglet as a snack, and they've each hidden themselves away (quite close together), to enjoy their snacks in peace. They all finish, and congregate once again.

And now, we head to where Wago knows the cubbies are stashed. My iso for this, is through the roof, and sadly, I'm not knowledgeable enough to have taken better photos. I do have iphone video (which is much better), but not sure how to post. This was an incredible sighting. They were SO scared (only having seen humans and a truck yesterday). There were actually 4 cubs. One was curious. Two were tentative. And one stayed in the shrubs - timid.

Sundowners. Dinner. Then wine by the fire.

So....Wago. That one older cub today, looked like he wanted to jump into the truck. Has that ever happened? "I'm not telling. You may never come back on safari again haha". (I didn't find this quite as funny as Wago did)

Wonderful company. Wonderful staff. Wonderful night. But I retire, to catch up on charging, and organizing, and to get more sleep. It had been a very full day.

July 8

3 hours ago, Scooter said:

Ah!! We maybe would have overlapped! When I left Lagoon, the Canadian Gal was the last customer until January. They told me they had every single booking cancelled. It was the same for all the camps. I would start each camp with people, and by the end of the stay, was alone. (with a private guide, and in a private concession. I can think of worse things) Let me look back....... Joberg Intercontinental Nov25 Lagoon Nov26&27 Lebala Nov28&29 PomPom Nov30&Dec1&2 Kwara Dec3&4&5&6. News broke about the variant on the afternoon of the 25th (I was still in the air).

Our Prime Minister didn't ban travel TO Southern Africa (thank goodness, or my travel insurance would have been voided), but instead, stopped people coming home FROM Southern Africa. (Cdn border services would not accept PCR tests from anywhere in Southern Africa. I needed to travel to a 3rd country to get a test that they would accept, which proved to be so impossible, that everyone just waited it out) He didn't say come home. (in fact quite the opposite!) He was basically saying "stay away until we know what this is". Fine by me!! But I didn't know all of this until my final camp. It was a brand new, and completely fluid situation. There were new rules and flight cancellations daily. Not really as hard on me (head in the sand without internet and I was in my paradise), but my BF was some stressed out.

Think we would have missed ..... I was due to start in Lagoon Dec 1 .....

It was a frustrating time for me - earlier in 2021 , I could not go to Bots (but still managed Tanzania) as Indians weren't allowed into Botswana due to the Delta variant. With Omicron, India banned travel subsequently.

After waiting it out - I finally made it in July 2022 ......

Edited July 8 by madaboutcheetah

July 8

Thanks for this trip report @Scooter.

It brings back memories of my Zambia safari in July 2021 - dodging Covid and trying not to worry too much.

July 8

@madaboutcheetahVery frustrating times indeed. It sounds as though India had some pretty strict measures. (I thought Canada did too, but India's sounds pretty intense). I felt very badly for everyone working in the camps. They were just back up and running, trying to recover from the initial lockdowns, and then poof. The camps went from full bookings through Christmas, to absolutely nothing. The bush planes were filled with cooking and housekeeping staff being sent home. Guides and trackers too. It was heartbreaking.

@offshorebirderI was very much enjoying this safari. (talk about exclusive!) .....but yes. In the back of your brain is that wormy little thought.......(how to get home because the world has shut down). And that does distract from it for sure. You cannot help but worry. It would "hit me" at night in my tent alone. For some reason, Zambia was not included in the "Southern Africa" ban.....so I did have the thought of hitting another safari there in order to get home. I could have also gone home via the US, but would have had to spend 2 weeks there before Canada would let me in. So in either case......family Christmas was in a bit of peril.

Well, speaking of Covid.....I have it and been quite ill for about 3 days. So as I clean up my digital files and go through photos to keep from going crazy with boredom, I think....eh maybe I'll throw together a trip report. As I get better, the posts will likely spread out a bit. But for now, I am pretty much trapped at home

July 8

Lebala's game drives were just spectacular. Wago was entertaining, and always a couple of steps ahead. On this morning's coffee stop, we head to "the hippo pool". We really didn't see very many hippos in 2019. At all!! There was no water out front, and I don't remember anything called "hippo pool". So this was quite a treat for me.

While MP is making coffee and tea, I switch lenses and crouch at the edge. What posers these guys are!! They are all looking in my direction! All at once! And they are coming closer! (Is that good? Maybe not. There are a whole bunch of them). All of a sudden, I feel like THEY are the ones observing ME. Once they are about halfway to me......I stop and ask Wago. "At what point do I start being frightened and retreat?" "If I yell, run for your life, you can be frightened then. haha". (I didn't find this quite as funny as Wago did - but almost)

(It's Lebala - there are a lot of lions)

(my first - and very far away - croc.) My camera has proven to just not want to focus on these guys, so my good photos are few.

I was discovering just how difficult it is to get good photos of a dark subject, on a brightly reflective background of water. (and on a cloudy day). I am sure I could make these better in post, but it was fabulous to have the time during the drive, to "monkey" with settings, so that I could really study what worked and what didn't once I was home looking at the metadata. I just loved the feeling - that we had "no place better to be" , and all were in agreement, that this counted as a fabulous sighting on it's own.

Edited July 8 by Scooter

July 9

What a great report! Not just the variety of photos and lion cubs and all, but the drama from the humans involved. Quite hilarious. The jeepmate twirling after her 3rd glass of wine was a hoot.

July 9

Again, 2 days is not enough. I felt like I'd only just got here, and was preparing for tomorrow's departure. 4 days in Linyanti sounds like it's enough.......but in future, I would pick one of the camps. If difficult to choose, then 3 nights at each (and that would depend strongly on time of year). Having 6 days devoted to an unproductive concession would also be terrible.

Anyhow......wonderful days spent here. So many lions. So much game. One last afternoon game drive left......

July 9

@Scooter I sympathise with you. I discovered early on that three nights should be the bare minimum, and a week or more in one area was preferable... not just to boost the wildlife viewing but also to learn about the place.

July 9

Cool report, nice photos and very entertaining writing. I was on safari in Zambia in October 2020, and shared many of the feelings you are describing very eloquently about being in Africa during ... that time.

July 9

13 hours ago, Scooter said:

@madaboutcheetahVery frustrating times indeed. It sounds as though India had some pretty strict measures. (I thought Canada did too, but India's sounds pretty intense). I felt very badly for everyone working in the camps. They were just back up and running, trying to recover from the initial lockdowns, and then poof. The camps went from full bookings through Christmas, to absolutely nothing. The bush planes were filled with cooking and housekeeping staff being sent home. Guides and trackers too. It was heartbreaking.

@offshorebirderI was very much enjoying this safari. (talk about exclusive!) .....but yes. In the back of your brain is that wormy little thought.......(how to get home because the world has shut down). And that does distract from it for sure. You cannot help but worry. It would "hit me" at night in my tent alone. For some reason, Zambia was not included in the "Southern Africa" ban.....so I did have the thought of hitting another safari there in order to get home. I could have also gone home via the US, but would have had to spend 2 weeks there before Canada would let me in. So in either case......family Christmas was in a bit of peril.

Well, speaking of Covid.....I have it and been quite ill for about 3 days. So as I clean up my digital files and go through photos to keep from going crazy with boredom, I think....eh maybe I'll throw together a trip report. As I get better, the posts will likely spread out a bit. But for now, I am pretty much trapped at home

oh! Get well soon!!

July 9

The afternoon sees us having a pretty tame game drive. More lions (of course). I get to try my hand on overexposing a giraffe (I watched some kind of creative photography series - so was keen to try new things). The younger couple from Texas were very indulgent of me attempting an LBR in flight.

I had been asking Wago the previous day, where the "Lebala tree" was? - as I really have zero sense of direction, I am not sure the answer would have mattered. But he claimed to not know what I was talking about.

Our sundowners were set up under said dead tree this night as a surprise. AND, to my surprise, it was Mike (who had been tracker at Kwara for my previous trip). My jeepmates and I were bonding. Over everything. They may have seen something they didn't want to, as my "comfort stop" went a bit...... well.

I screamed. (yes, please, everyone look this direction), and stood up (whoops), because a thorn (snake), had scratched (bitten) my behind.

And music. I was wearing a Paul McCartney concert T, and explained that even though only 23, my son was an "old soul" and loved the Beatles. And then he (Ben) lifted his shirt to reveal his Beatles tattoo. (also a youngster for loving the Beatles). Another G&T? No, she'll have wine now. (I will??). Okay....now we are onto wine.

Now......this is not something I normally do either A) When I am on safari (one pays good $$ to be there. best to be "present" for it all. or b) When I am solo anywhere in the world. No explanation needed for that one - as we say in Canada "I like to skate with my head up". But here we were (over)indulging. At one of my favourite places that I've ever been on Earth. All the stresses of the world's situation just melted away. What could go wrong?????

Edited July 9 by Scooter

July 9

2 hours ago, Scooter said:

I get to try my hand on overexposing a giraffe ...

....I screamed. (yes, please, everyone look this direction), and stood up (whoops), because a thorn (snake), had scratched (bitten) my behind.

The overexposed giraffe is really quite effective, I can't comment on the overexposed @Scooter

July 10

Good to see the iconic Dead leadwood tree !!

July 10

@Scootergreat report.

I can empathise with your pit stop problems.

Those sticks get into all the wrong places.

July 11

The giraffe is nicely over-exposed and the exiting lion is correctly surrounded by darkness.

July 11

I am trying to remember, but dinner was a blur. So much fun!! I'm sure the food was great. Wago kept pouring, even sitting down at the fire.

BUT.......Somewhere in my responsible self, I know, I have tips to coordinate, notes to write, a bag to pack, clothes to lay out, and a shower to get into. I announce my plan of retirement. But Wago has just popped a new bottle of red. Not a problem.....my jeepmates will take 2 glasses with them, and the bottle, and finish it. (It is the last night at this camp, until after newyear for the staff too). We are probably laughing too much. Probably too loud. And we proceed down the wooden walkway toward the pathway.

Crash! Splash!! Holy S&!^!!! (For those who would like an interpreter.....this might say, Holy Smokes).

A hippopotamus races past us at a 90 degree angle. So fast toward the river. Not 15' in front of us. Wago puts his arm out in a "stop short". Collective breath taken.

We walk another 5'. ANOTHER hippo races past us. This one smaller. Perhaps a female. Again, an arm out in "stop short". Collective breath out.

We take maybe one step more: Baby hippo trails the family.

Now stunned. We each head off to our respective tents. I get all of my "stuff" done - phone and camera plugged into the chargers, clothes laid out. But I do manage to maintain some modicum of decorum. (you know, posh as I am).

4:45am. (Oh no, no, no!!). 4:54am. (Yes! I hear you!). 5:00am. (Ms Tracy, are you up??). Ugghh. Yes. Good morning, Wago.

5:30 I head for breakfast. I take a bit of extra time to photograph the cloudy sunrise (because). Ben and I look at each other, like we have both been guilty before. It is the look of folks who knew better. Did poorly. And wish to never hear about it again. Today, they are off to Splash, and I am off to PomPom (which I have heard SO much about, and can hardly wait to experience.)

Edited July 11 by Scooter

July 11

Excellent report! Very interesting reading!

Nice picture of giraffe in high-key! Looking forward for new chapters.

Were there very hot in December? I've been once in Lagoon and Tau Pan in December and it was very very hot!

July 11

1 hour ago, ElenaH said:

Were there very hot in December? I've been once in Lagoon and Tau Pan in December and it was very very hot!

@ElenaHYes indeed, very hot. So hot, that it is hard to sleep. But I've come up with a few tricks to deal with it, as this is precisely the time I wish to be there.

2021 Kwando Safari - Going again - Hopefully this will "scratch the itch" for good (haha)

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